Sharp to look to Europe for Galapagos

But can it compete with the Kindle and iPad?

Sharp has suggested that it could expand its Galapagos e-reader into the UK and Europe in the coming months.

The UK has a burgeoning e-reader market, fuelled partly by the popular Amazon Kindle, and Sharp is keen to extend the first Galapagos device beyond Japan.

The first new market to be tested will be the US, but Sharp's Masami Ohbatake has indicated that China and Europe will be next.

"After the U.S., we're looking at other regions where electronic-book reading is increasing,"Ohbatake told Bloomberg.

Price of success

The Galapagos e-reader 10.8 inch tablet is currently more expensive than the Apple iPad in Japan, and many doubt that the device will be a hit.

A major content deal in Japan – with the equivalent to the UK's WH Smith – has given the device some hope, but with the likes of Amazon already dominant in the UK it may be tough to break into the market.